The Danger in Sen. Ted Cruz’s “School Choice” Proposal
A few short years ago, New Hampshire paved the way for school choice. With the passage of legislation allowing education tax credits for businesses, scholarship organizations like Network for Educational Opportunity came into existence. Since then, many low-income children have had the opportunity to attend the school of their choice.
This is a good thing and something Cornerstone supported from the beginning. However when we looked at the proposed legislation, there were concerns over the strings that could be harmful to the receiving school.
This is a good thing and something Cornerstone supported from the beginning. However when we looked at the proposed legislation, there were concerns over the strings that could be harmful to the receiving school.
Those questions were answered in a way that satisfied those of us who were concerned that any state money could come with harmful strings attached.
Vouchers for instance, carry the risk of the state attaching strings to the voucher money that could negatively impact private and parochial schools. That is the last thing we want to do in the name of “choice.” If there are strings attached to vouchers, which is what happened in Indiana, we then run the risk of harming private and parochial schools.
Indiana has a school voucher program in place, however all students in private and parochial schools must now succumb to the Common Core tests in order to keep their voucher students.
Indiana parents are angry now because they are seeing their private and parochial schools align their curriculum to the Common Core. The private and parochial schools that have accepted students with vouchers don’t want to lose them.
Not only are Indiana public school children at a disadvantage because they are subjected to Common Core curriculum, now the children in the private and parochial schools are at the same disadvantage.
Under this scheme, there really is no choice when everything is “Common.”
New Hampshire did things differently and better. Children who want a scholarship to attend the school of their choice have to apply to a private The Danger in Sen. Ted Cruz's "School Choice" Proposal - Girard At Large:
